“Is he okay?” She whispered, her hands wringing nervously together.
Nicky nodded. “Yes. He’s with mama.”
“Thank the gods.” Relief flooded through her and she gave the brothers a weak smile.
James stared grimly at her as Nicholas sighed deeply. “How do you feel Bree? Were you injured?”
“No, I’m okay.” She had used one of her shirts to stem the bleeding from the wound on her back. It had oozed some yellow liquid at first, and she had rinsed it carefully until it appeared clean. It was burning and itching fiercely but the wound looked shallow to her. After what happened, she didn’t have the courage to ask James to heal it. It would have to heal on its own.
“I’m so sorry.” She said. “I didn’t know Evan was following me. If I had, I would never have let him – “
“Where were you going?” James interrupted her. “You weren’t heading towards Vanden.”
“I um – “
She swallowed nervously as James gave her an impatient look.
“I knew I didn’t have enough money to get to Vanden and I um, I was going to a friend’s house. I thought I could stay with them while I earned more money before going – “
“Stop lying!” James suddenly roared and she shrank back from his hot gaze.
He stalked towards her. “Stop lying Bree and tell me the truth for once!” He glared angrily at her, and she straightened her spine and returned his gaze defiantly.
“Yelling at me isn’t going to make me tell you anything.” She snapped.
“My brother almost died because of you Bree. We saved your life, took you in and fed you, and gave you a place to stay. You owe us the truth!” He shouted.
“I didn’t mean for Evan to get hurt. I told you if I had known he was following me I – “
“You’re a foolish little girl and I should have left you to die in the forest!” He shouted again.
“James!” Nicholas grabbed his arm and shoved him backwards. “Leave! Leave right now!”
James growled at him and Nicholas shoved him again. “I mean it James. Leave. If you don’t I will drag you out of here like a small pup. I swear to the gods I will.”
James stared at him for a long moment before stalking from the room. He slammed the door behind him as Nicky stared quietly at Bree.
Her face was pale and her mouth was trembling, but she took a deep breath and faced him squarely.
“He didn’t mean that Bree. He’s just upset about Evan and about you. When we discovered you were both gone he went crazy.” Nicholas said quietly.
She sighed. “He meant what he said Nicky. We both know it.”
He shook his head. “No, he didn’t. We were following yours and Evan’s scent and when he – when he heard you scream, the look on his face...” Nicholas trailed off and he gave her a strained smile.
“He cares for you little one.” He said softly.
“No Nicky. He doesn’t. It doesn’t matter anyway. I just want to see Evan and tell him I’m sorry, and then I’ll be leaving. Your brother is right – you’ve done so much for me and I’ve done nothing but bring trouble to your family. It’s better for everyone if I go.”
“You’re not going anywhere Bree.”
She stiffened. “Do you mean to keep me as a prisoner Nicky?”
He sighed. “Evan almost died. We don’t blame you for that – “
“He does.” She whispered softly.
Nicholas scrubbed his hand through his hair. “We don’t blame you but you owe us an explanation and until you give us one, you’re not leaving.”
He hesitated. “We can’t trust you right now Bree. You know that don’t you?”
She nodded as he walked towards the door. “I’ll have Marian bring you some food.” He stepped out of the room and she heard the click of the lock as he shut the door firmly.
* * *
She was so hot she couldn’t stand it. Although there was no fireplace, the room was curiously warm and she had stripped down to her shirt. The food Marian had given to her earlier lay untouched on the side table. She had no appetite, and the wound on her back was throbbing with a deep pulsing pain she had never felt before.
She scratched at the skin on her arms. The burning and itching from the wound had spread through her entire body over the last few hours, and she had shallow bloody scrapes on her torso and thighs where she had scratched them raw.
Using the mirror on the wall she had examined the wound, sucking in her breath at the sight of it. Her entire back was bright red and the area around the wound had swollen into a hard, hot ball of flesh. Just touching it sent a bolt of agony through her entire back. The bleeding had stopped but it was oozing a dark, thick yellow fluid that smelled like rotting meat.